In his first week in office, new Borough President Eric Adams named long time community advocate and former Councilwoman Diana Reyna to join him as deputy borough president at Brooklyn Borough Hall.

The first Dominican-American female elected to public office in New York, Reyna has spent the last 12 years representing North Brooklyn, the same community she was raised in and where she first got her start in politics.

“I am excited and honored to take on this historic opportunity to grow and improve my beloved borough,” Reyna said. “Borough president-elect Adams has always stood up for those who most need government to work for them, and his election represents an important moment in Brooklyn where those values are needed – and clearly shared – now more than ever.”

A product of Catholic schools and later a graduate of Pace University, Reyna was first elected to the City Council in 2001 when she was just 27 years old.

Formerly chief of staff to then-Assemblyman and Chairman of the Kings County Democratic Party, Vito Lopez, Reyna later broke ties after a public falling out during the 2009 elections and won her third term without his support.

After reaching the end of her final term in 2013, Reyna said she is proud to work with Adams and turn the page to the next phase in her political career.

“I look forward to helping Team Adams achieve its goal of ‘One Brooklyn,’ a borough that leaves no one behind and woks together toward common goals, as part of the new administration at Borough Hall,” she said.

Following the announcement of her new position, Adams said in a statement that he is, “proud to have Diana Reyna,” on his team.

“As a champion of affordable housing, she helped build and maintain thousands of units for low-and-middle-income families,” he said.